Power generation equipment, such as a gas turbine engine, uses a large supply of intake air to support the combustion process. Inlet air filtration systems thus may be used upstream of the compressor, impure air laden with dust particles, salt, and other contaminants may damage the compressor blades and other types of power plant equipment via corrosion, erosion, and the like. Such damage may reduce the life expectancy and performance of the equipment. To avoid this problem, the inlet air generally passes through a series of filters to remove the contaminants. Known air filters, however, may be clogged by environmental conditions such as fog, rain, snow, and the like. Such clogging may reduce filtration and cooling efficiency while increasing the overall pressure drop. Inlet air pressure loss also can result in the loss of power output for the gas turbine engine as a whole.
Small water droplets such as fog or fine mist may cause such filter failure due to an increased pressure loss across the filter caused by clogging and the like. The potential for clogging is particularly true with final fitters such as pulse cartridges and similar devices. Standard water or mist removal systems may not be sufficiently efficient to remove such small water droplets before contact with the filters and potential damage thereto.
There is a desire therefore for an improved gas turbine inlet air system. Such an improved inlet air system preferably would catch or agglomerate mist or small water droplets so as to prevent damage to downstream filters. Such an inlet air system may increase the output of the gas turbine engine as a whole with increased overall efficiency.